


Sleep Deprivation

by Comicsohwhyohwhy



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel 616
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Reed-hammock, Sleep-deprived Tony, You'll have to read it to find out what that is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-23
Updated: 2014-12-23
Packaged: 2018-03-03 02:12:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2834390
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Comicsohwhyohwhy/pseuds/Comicsohwhyohwhy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony is staying at the Baxter Building, and he doesn't sleep enough. Reed notices. Fluff ensues.</p>
<p>Outtake from <a href="http://archiveofourown.org/works/2586692/chapters/5758253">Dangerous Liaisons and Unwanted Alliances</a>.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleep Deprivation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [laireshi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/laireshi/gifts).



When Reed came into the lab, Tony was curled up on his chair, head buried in his arms, and seemed to be fast asleep. One hand was still weakly clutching a pen. Reed smiled at the scene, but it also made him a little uneasy. Tony should really learn to take better care of himself, sleep more and actually go to bed to do it. Of course, Tony was brilliant, but this constant sleep deprivation and excessive work schedule was taking its toll even on him.

Carefully, he went over to the desk. Tony still didn’t react. Okay, he had to wake him up in order to get him into his bed. He bent down and said: “Tony?”

There was no reaction, so he put his hand on Tony’s shoulder. Tony flinched, lifted his head and raised his other hand in a defensive posture very reminiscent of Iron Man. Reed was only glad he had stopped wearing the single gauntlet that he’d had on his hand for weeks before, or he might very well have been pulverised.

Tony blinked at Reed slowly, and recognition dawned on his face. “Mmmm… Reed?” He murmured, eyes almost falling closed again. There were smudges of ink on his face where he must have landed face-first on his fresh notes. Reed sighed, extended his hand and carefully wiped them away.

“You have to go to bed, Tony,” he said, but Tony just made a weak sound in protest and let his head droop low. He raised one hand to his eyes, started rubbing them, but then stopped, slowly sliding down onto the desk. So much for that. He was basically sound asleep again.

Reed stayed in his crouched stance for another moment, gently shaking Tony’s shoulder, but he just made little mewling sounds and didn’t budge. Okay, he had to go about this differently. Carefully, Reed wrapped his arms around Tony, almost forming some sort of blanket. The mewling sounds started subsiding as Tony seemed to get used to the sensation. But he was obviously still completely out of it, or he would have made a joke about the situation, Reed was sure of it. Tony didn’t even seem to realise what was going on. He really needed to sleep more.

When Tony had stopped making sounds, apparently fully asleep again, Reed got up slowly and then started lifting his friend. It was way too easy to lift Tony into his arms, he thought. He had noticed that Tony had been getting thinner over the last few months, but now, with him in his arms, it was painfully obvious. Reed had to pay better attention to his eating habits.

Tony adjusted to the new position immediately, wrapped in Reed’s arms like a hammock, curling into himself with a little sigh of contentment. Quietly, Reed went to the elevator and pressed the right floor.

When he got out, he almost bumped into Sue, who opened her mouth, and only then apparently took in the scene before her. She put her hands over her mouth. Reed didn’t quite know what to make of that, but then she bent close to him and whispered “this is too cute” into his ear. He smiled at her and gave her a little peck on the cheek before continuing his way along the corridor.

When he had reached Tony’s room, he deposited his friend on the bed with the utmost care. For a moment, it seemed as if Tony was going to wake up from the sudden change in position, but then he turned onto his side and exhaled slowly.

Reed looked down at his friend. He had some strands of his unruly black hair plastered to his forehead, almost getting into his eyes, and he brushed them aside absent-mindedly. Then he went to the cupboard and took out a second blanket, because he didn’t want to wake Tony by taking the one he was laying on away from under him. He put it over Tony, tugging it around his prone form.

Suddenly, Tony’s eyes opened a little, and he saw some blue through his lashes. He looked up at Reed and seemed to want to say something, but he was mumbling from how sleepy he was and it was completely incomprehensible. Reed bent down, putting his ear close to Tony’s mouth, and heard him mutter “Thanks, Reed, you’re a good friend,” and then his eyes slid closed again.

Reed smiled, a warm feeling in his stomach. He straightened up, whispered “nothing to thank me for, Tony,” even though he was fully aware of the fact that his friend was already sleeping again, turned around and closed the door quietly behind him.


End file.
